The Pursuit of Happiness And Snogging
by SlackJawedSmurf
Summary: Harry thinks Malfoy is acting weirdly, Draco thinks it's all Harry's fault, Hermione thinks they're both idiots, and Ron thinks that unless Malfoy stops making him late for breakfast, there's going to be trouble.  Harry/Draco pointlessness.


**Pairings: **Harry/Draco

**Summary: **Harry thinks Malfoy is acting weirdly, Draco thinks it's all Harry's fault, Hermione thinks they're both idiots, and Ron thinks that unless Malfoy stops making him late for breakfast, there's going to be trouble.

**Rating: **Um, PG13? Not even that? There is one brief kiss, and a little innuendo.

**Disclaimer: **If it was mine, it'd be in the books.

**Warnings: **Idiot boys?

**Word Count: **Three thousand and something.

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* * *

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'Hi, Potter.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione blinked at Malfoy perplexedly. 'Get out our way, Malfoy,' snapped Ron.

Malfoy stared determinedly at Harry, ignoring Ron completely. 'I repeat: hi, _Potter_.'

Harry frowned. 'Get out our way, Malfoy.'

Malfoy scowled, and turned on his heel, stalking off down the hall in a blur of black robes and pale hair.

'That was weird,' said Harry.

'Mmm,' agreed Hermione.

* * *

'Hi, Potter.'

When Malfoy accosted them in the same hallway on the way to breakfast for the second time, it was no less surprising than the first. There was a slightly bigger crowd building around him, though.

'Move, you pointy faced git.' Ron said pleasantly.

Malfoy pursed his lips. 'We're going to keep doing this until you get it_. Hi, Potter_.'

Harry just shook his head, and pushed past him, and didn't even turn around when Malfoy jabbed his elbows in his sides.

'That was weird.' Ron said, this time.

Hermione just murmured noncommittally again.

* * *

'Hi, Potter.'

'How many mornings are you going to do this for?' Harry said, through gritted teeth.

'At least one more.' Malfoy looked offended, and stalked off again. Harry was just relieved that this encounter didn't result in bruises from pointy elbows on his ribs. Malfoy had the pointiest elbows ever seen.

'Hi, Potter.'

Harry didn't get time to answer, because Ron barged straight past Malfoy, into the Great Hall.

'You could have given Harry the chance to reply.' Hermione reprimanded. Ron looked injured.

'He's getting in the way of breakfast, Hermione. _Breakfast_.'

Hermione just looked doubtful.

* * *

'Hi, Potter.'

Ron exploded. 'For Merlins sake, Malfoy-'

'Hi, Malfoy.' Hermione smiled sweetly at him.

Malfoy looked as taken aback as Ron and Harry. 'Granger.'

'We'll see you tomorrow, Malfoy.' Hermione was still smiling.

Malfoy suddenly beamed back. 'Goodbye, Granger. Potter. Weasel.'

'What was that about?' Ron asked, when they were sat down in the Great Hall. Hermione shrugged.

'You mean the only thing we have to do to get rid of him is say hi back?'

Hermione looked at Harry thoughtfully. 'Possibly. Maybe you should try it tomorrow.'

Ron narrowed his eyes at Hermione. 'What's going on?'

'I don't know.'

'But you've got a guess.' Harry said shrewdly.

'Yes. I do.'

'And you're not going to tell us what it is?'

'Of course not. That ruins the fun of knowing.'

'Great.'

* * *

'Hi, Potter.'

'Hi, Malfoy.' Harry said wearily.

Malfoy looked around cautiously. 'How are you?'

Harry blinked. 'I'm fine.' He said carefully, choosing his words with utmost precision. Malfoy waited expectantly. 'Bye, then.' Harry edged past him, and tried to work out whether he'd passed or failed Malfoy's little game.

When he saw Malfoy standing at the bottom of the stairs again, he assumed he'd failed.

* * *

'Hi, Malfoy.' He said, before Malfoy got the chance.

Malfoy looked unreasonably delighted. 'Hello, Potter.'

Harry hesitated. 'So... how are you?'

'I'm well, thank you.' Malfoy beamed. 'Yourself?'

'I'm alright.' Harry stood there awkwardly. What did Malfoy want from him? 'I'll see you later then.'

'See you later, Potter!' Malfoy echoed, and practically bounced off. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione.

'This is getting really weird.'

* * *

'Hi, Potter!'

'Morning Malfoy,' said Harry, just to shake things up a bit. 'How are you?'

'Fine, thank you Potter.' Malfoy paused, like he hadn't thought this far ahead. 'How did you sleep?'

'I- um, fine, I guess. It was just sleep, you know.'

'I know.' Malfoy bit his lower lip. 'Are you looking forwards to ... breakfast?'

'Are you- for god's sake, Malfoy-' Ron shoved past, dragging Harry and Hermione after him. 'We are not going through this every morning!'

* * *

The next day, Harry told Ron and Hermione to go to breakfast without him. 'That way, you won't need to shove Malfoy for asking stupid questions.'

Ron looked at him like he was crazy. 'Since when was shoving Malfoy a problem?'

Harry looked at Hermione pleadingly, and she took Ron by the arm. 'Come on, Ron. Bacon's this way.'

'I know you're just trying to distract me,' he grumbled, but let himself be lead from the room anyway.

Harry waited fifteen minutes before going after them.

'Hi, Malfoy.'

'Hello, Potter. You didn't come with your sidekicks. I thought maybe you were ill.'

'You don't have yours, either,' said Harry, not bothering to remind Malfoy that Ron and Hermione were friends, and not sidekicks.

'You always come to breakfast with yours.' Malfoy accused.

'Yeah, well, I thought I should stop before you give Ron an aneurism.'

'I don't know what that is,' Malfoy mused, 'but it sounds like the sort of thing I'd love to give the Weasel.'

'Probably, but I'd rather you didn't get the chance.'

Malfoy sighed dramatically. 'I'll get him one for Christmas, maybe. It'll probably be the only present he receives.'

The statement was so ridiculous, Harry couldn't be bothered to get annoyed by it. 'You do that, Malfoy. Hey, I forgot to ask- are you looking forwards to breakfast?' He smirked slightly. Malfoy scowled.

'That's a stupid question, Potter. Don't be an idiot.'

'You asked yesterday.'

'It wasn't ridiculous then. Think of your own damn questions.'

'Ok then.' Harry said boldly. 'Why are we doing this every morning?'

'Because I don't know your timetable well enough to find you before lunch. Idiot.'

'Git.' Harry said reflexively. Then: 'No, I mean, why are we meeting to say hi, and ask stupid questions about sleeping and breakfast and general wellbeing?'

'My questions aren't stupid, Potter.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Why, Malfoy, are we meeting to say hi, and ask questions about sleeping and breakfast and wellbeing?'

'You started it.'

This was such a blatant lie Harry just stared at Malfoy until the boy shifted slightly, and gave in.

'It's a conversation, Potter. Surely even the backwards Gryffindors have them occasionally? I mean, I know you're usually limited to grunting, but I'm fairly certain Granger can speak- you can never shut her up in lessons, and-'

'Shut up, Malfoy.' Harry said, with no real venom. 'Why are we having conversations?'

'Because that's what people do, you socially challenged toad.'

'But we don't, Malfoy. We fight and argue, we don't have conversations.'

Malfoy stared at him blankly for a second, then pushed him half heartedly. 'You're a socially challenged toad, Potter.'

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes again. Malfoy made him do that a lot. 'Come on, Malfoy. Be serious.'

'I am serious, Potter. You have all the social skills and finesse of a particularly dim-witted amphibian. And your hair is bad.'

'Now you're not even trying.'

'Well, maybe I don't want to call you names and punch you any more, Potter.' He paused a second, then shook his head. Harry noticed that he wasn't pushing his hair back in the same way anymore, when his head shook, a few strands fell across his face. He felt an irrational urge to put them back into position. Or to just mess Malfoy's hair up entirely, one of the two. 'Actually, that's a lie, Potter. I still want to insult you and hit you most of the time. I just also want to exchange pleasantries. However,' Malfoy's nostrils flared slightly, 'if you object so strongly, I can go back to tripping you up in the halls and insulting your parentage.'

'No, you don't need to do that.' Harry ran his fingers through his own hair exasperatedly, and noticed Malfoy's eyes tracking the movement. He fought the urge to flatten it down. He didn't care what Malfoy thought of his hair. 'Look, maybe we could not do this every morning. It's kind of making me late for breakfast, not to mention attracting a lot of attention. Plus it weird's Ron out.'

Malfoy's eyes lit up. 'I don't think-'

'Please.' Asked Harry.

Malfoy huffed. 'Fine, Potter. If you want to talk to me that badly, I'll meet you by the Quidditch pitch before dinner. Don't be late.'

Malfoy walked off before Harry could ask him what time he was supposed to arrive.

* * *

'I think Malfoy is instigating the final stage of his plan.' Harry explained to Ron and Hermione.

'That bastard!' Ron slammed his hand down on the table dramatically, to the annoyance of the other students in the library. 'What plan?'

'I don't know. But I think he tricked me into meeting him at the Quidditch pitch at some point tonight.'

'You think?' Asked Hermione. Harry relayed the entire conversation, leaving out the slurs on Ron's family and Hermione's intelligence.

'What do you think he's up to, Hermione?' Harry asked, when his tale was finished.

'Maybe he really is trying to make friendly conversation, Harry. There's no reason it has to be a fiendish plot.'

'Of course it is! It's Malfoy!' Ron roared. The neighbouring Ravenclaws shushed him loudly.

'Perhaps, Ronald,' Hermione's eyes flashed, 'Malfoy has matured a little since last year. Sometimes, people do grow up.'

'Hermione.' Ron explained patiently. 'He was still calling you a Mudblood a month ago. He was still calling me Weasel a _day_ ago.'

'Perhaps,' Hermione repeated. 'But he hasn't called Harry anything since last year.'

They both turned to look at Harry in wonder.

'Don't look at me.' Harry protested. 'I haven't said anything.'

'Are you going to go?' Hermione asked.

'Of course not!' Ron said, appalled.

'Maybe.' Harry shrugged.

The trio sat in silent contemplation for a moment. Then:-

'Harry...' Ron said slowly. 'If Malfoy said he doesn't know your timetable _that_ well, does that mean he does know it a little well?'

The trio sat in aghast contemplation for a while.

* * *

Harry waited for about an hour before Malfoy turned up. He wondered for at least 45 minutes of that hour why he didn't just give up and go to dinner. When Malfoy eventually turned up waving two brooms, he wished he had.

'If I'd known you wanted to fly, Malfoy, I'd have brought my Firebolt.'

'I must have forgotten to mention it.' Malfoy smirked. 'No need to worry though, I brought you one from the Quidditch stores.'

Harry eyed the sleek Nimbus 2001 Malfoy was holding protectively, then the Cleansweep 5 he'd handed Harry. Harry could count the number of bristles left on one hand. 'Gee, thanks Malfoy. I might just summon my broom though, if we're flying.'

'No need.' Malfoy said hurriedly. 'No point exerting yourself, Potter.'

Harry rolled his eyes before he caught himself. 'Whatever, Malfoy. What are we doing with brooms, anyway? I thought you wanted to talk?'

'This was your idea Potter,' Malfoy huffed indignantly. 'Don't try and pin this on me.' He mounted his broom, and rose easily off the ground. Harry did the same, with less ease. He didn't think the Cleansweep liked him. 'After you revealed yourself to be so incredibly bad at conversation this morning, I thought we should try something you're a little better at. Not much better, mind you, but I had trouble thinking of anything you were good at, so this will have to do.'

'You're a git.' Harry informed him. 'Race around the pitch? I get a head start, since this twig barely qualifies as a broom.'

'Scared, Potter?' Malfoy challenged, eyes gleaming.

Harry smirked. 'You wish.'

They came down several hours later. Harry decided Malfoy wasn't bad fun when he wasn't trying to hex Harry.

'Not bad, Malfoy.'

'Oh please, I thrashed you.'

'Yeah, because I was on a glorified stick. I'd have had better luck riding a wand.'

Malfoy waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 'Whatever you're into, Potter.' Harry stuck his tongue out at him.

'Git.' He reminded, in case Malfoy had forgotten.

'Poof.'

'Wanker.'

'Prude.'

'You're such a tosser, Malfoy.' Harry said, then tried to fight the blush as he realised that he had sounded almost fond of Malfoy when he said that. Malfoy smiled lazily.

'Whatever you say, Scarhead.' He yawned. 'Next time, maybe you should bring your broom. If you need the advantage that badly.'

Harry snorted. 'Next time, we should probably grab dinner first. I'm famished.'

Malfoy batted his eyelashes ridiculously. They were stupidly long, for a boy. 'Why Potter, are you asking me on a date?'

'What? No!' Harry yelped, sitting up as though he had been burned. Malfoy turned his head towards him.

'There's no shame in it, Potter. I have this effect on everyone. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret. Well. Mostly.'

Harry swatted him on the arm. 'Sure, Malfoy. The girls are just swarming over your ferrety face. They can't get enough of your pointiness.'

'At least they don't just want me because of some stupid scar.' Malfoy snapped back. He pushed himself off the ground violently, and started to stride back to the castle. 'See you tomorrow, Potter.'

'Malfoy, come on.' Harry raced after him, and wondered when he'd got to the stage that he wanted to apologize to Malfoy. 'I was just kidding, I'm, um, sure the girls love you really.' He caught hold of Malfoys arm. 'Don't go off in a strop, please. I'm sorry. Your face isn't ferrety at all.'

Malfoy almost looked like he was pouting in the fading light. 'You don't mean that.'

'No, I do.' Harry insisted, and wondered who he had pissed off in a former life. 'It's very, uh, regal, and aristocratic. And you have very good skin.'

'I hate you, Potter.'

'I know.' Harry bit his lip. 'Forgive me?'

Malfoy huffed a bit, which Harry took to mean he'd won. 'I suppose I should be used to your lack of tact and charm by now, Potter. Fine.'

Harry smiled winsomely, and then felt stupid. Why was he even trying to make nice with Malfoy? 'Cheers, Malfoy. Meet here after dinner? I'll bring my Firebolt and a snitch, we can have a proper seekers game.'

Malfoy frowned slightly. 'We might as well eat together, then. I know you're a faster eater than me, and I don't want you getting out here first and warming up without me.'

'Sure.' Harry shrugged. 'Room of Requirement? I can probably get the house elves to bring us something up.'

'Fine. Tell them no carrots.'

'No carrots, whatever. I'll see you then, ok?'

'Night, Potter.'

'See you, Mal- wait! How did you know I eat faster than you?' Harry asked.

In the darkness, it almost looked like Malfoy was blushing. 'It's obvious, Potter. You're too uncouth to savour your food properly, you guzzle it down like a turkey.'

'Gobble.'

Malfoy blinked. 'I beg your pardon?'

'Turkeys gobble, not guzzle.'

'Right.' Mayfoy looked slightly disconcerted. 'Well, you do that then, Potter. Tomorrow?'

'Tomorrow.' Harry confirmed. 'Oh, by the way, Malfoy? Tonight wasn't bad. Thanks.'

Malfoy was radiating happiness as he walked away.

* * *

'Hi, Potter.' Malfoy said cheerfully, when Harry walked into the room.

'Malfoy...' Harry said carefully, looking around at the large meal laid out on the table, the light music playing from somewhere and- most importantly- the candles over every surface. 'What the hell is going on in here?'

'The room set us up for your date.' Malfoy chirped. 'I didn't realise it could do that. Seems to have quite good taste, though- the wine is decadent.'

'We're not having a date, Malfoy! I specifically said, not a date!' Harry yelped.

'Of course you did.' Malfoy said soothingly, and guided Harry into one of the chair, pouring him a glass of said decadent wine. 'Because you're shy. You were too scared to ask me outright on a date, so you've had to resort to all this subtlety and subterfuge.'

'I have not!' Harry blustered.

'Yes, you have.' Malfoy insisted. 'That's why you've been so nice to me recently, and attempted to make conversation, and tried to spend time with me outside class. You're smitten.'

'But that was-' Malfoy looked at Harry with a steely glare. 'Oh.' Harry realised, then- 'Oh.' He coughed. 'I was making conversation with you every morning because I was trying to work up to asking you out?'

'Yes. You thought it was best we at least tried to be civil towards each other first.' Malfoy explained, a light flush of colour on his cheeks.

'That was probably quite sensible of me.' Harry said. 'What with us being enemies, and all.'

Malfoy waved his hand. 'Oh, you got over all that. All water under the bridge, and so forth. Besides,' he grinned mischievously. 'You checked out my arse one day, and decided that some things were more important than long-standing enmity.'

'I liked your arse that much?' Harry asked in surprise.

Malfoy smiled predatorily. 'You tell me, Potter.'

Harry thought back to the way he'd seen Malfoy's arse move under his robes. He cleared his throat. 'I suppose it is quite nice.'

'There we go, Potter. And so you decided that you absolutely had to talk to me, and you couldn't help but ask me on this date. Which the house elves set up very nicely for us.'

'That was kind of them.' Harry said, throat dry. 'You know, Malfoy, this does seem like a bit of a stupid plan of mine, though. Not very well thought out.'

'Yes, well. You were awfully distracted by my arse, Potter. You didn't have time to think of anything better.'

'I see.' Harry blushed slightly. 'So after I've gone through all this trouble to, uh, trick you into a date, what do I do next?'

'That's up to you.' Malfoy watched him carefully.

'Right.' Harry paused, and looked at Malfoy. Malfoy, who was irritating, and pureblood, and blond, and pointy, and a _git_. Who had waited stubbornly for him outside the Great Hall every morning for days, enduring the abuse Harry and Ron had given him. Malfoy, who hadn't gloated when he'd beaten Harry and the crappy broom. Malfoy, who had apparently checked out Harry's arse. 'I think,' Harry said decidedly, 'that I'd eat dinner with you, and then we'd go flying together.'

'Do you think,' Malfoy said carefully, toying with his fork, and not eating any of the food before them, 'that if this date of yours was successful, you'd expect another one afterwards?' He didn't meet Harrys eyes.

'Yes.' Said Harry boldly, and tried not to think of what Ron would say to all of this. 'In fact, since I went to such ridiculous lengths, I might expect several more dates.' He didn't think Hermione would be that surprised, though. 'And,' he hesitated. 'Other things.'

'Other things?' Malfoy looked up sharply. 'I might have a nice arse, Potter, but I am not that sort of boy. I expect wooing.'

'No, no, no.' Harry said hurriedly. 'I meant, you know. Meeting before breakfast. And walking to class together. And hand holding.'

'Potter, are you saying you want to be my boyfriend?' Malfoy said hopefully.

'Erm.' Harry was a little flummoxed. 'I suppose I am, then.'

'Right.' Malfoy said determinedly. 'In that case, I suppose I'd better let you kiss me.' He tilted his chin defiantly towards Harry. 'Go on then, Potter. Since you're so obviously eager.'

Harry tried to hide his smile, and slipped out of his chair to where Malfoy was sitting. He brushed a gentle kiss over Malfoy's lips, and watched with fascination as his face turned pink beneath his touch.

'Acceptable, Potter.' Malfoy said, roughly. 'Alright. I'll let you court me.'

Harry didn't try to hold in the smile any longer. 'Thanks, Malfoy.'

'No problem, Potter.' Malfoy said, a little smugly. 'After all, it would be a shame to let all your hard work go to waste.'

* * *

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